By Michael Minorgan for Curtains Up
Sushi has been explained as an art form showcasing the simplicity of its preparation and the utmost respect for the natural beauty of its ingredients. I have always been in awe of the skill of the sushi chef ever since I saw one in action in its birthplace, Japan. I was told at the time that it can take up to 10 years just to learn the art of preparing sushi rice so as to achieve the proper flavour and consistency. Passion, patience and total commitment to this art is definitely mandatory!
Sushi has always held a highly respected place among the many cuisines found in Montreal and we are blessed to have a number of very skilled sushi chefs practicing their art in restaurants throughout the city.
I decided to try one of these establishments, one that came highly recommended by several friends and acquaintances, Yuukai Sushi situated on Park Ave in Mile End.
Yuukai is by no means a large restaurant. The decor and ambiance is graphic and elegantly chic in its simplicity yet it evokes a warmth and welcome that becomes evident as soon as you enter. The night we were there the restaurant was packed with a lively crowd of diners of all ages.
After a brief period of browsing the menus (they have two, one for sushi selections and an a la carte menu featuring various house Japanese fusion inspired specialties). Our friendly and highly professional server arrived at our table, opened our bottle of wine (Yuukai is a BYOW establishment) and placed it in an ice filled cooler, she then explained the menu to us including a number of chef specials indicated on blackboards throughout the restaurant. We decided to stick to the “fill out your own order” list of sushi including a large selection of sashimi, maki and nigri items. We also selected two soups from the a la carte menu. I chose the Miso Fruits de Mer ($5.95) soup a wonderfully light miso flavoured broth chock full of calamari, shrimp and fish. My companion chose the classic Miso Shuru ($3.75) a white miso based soup with vegetables, also delicious.
The main attraction, a mix of sashimi, nigri and maki arrived elegantly and artfully displayed on an earthenware platter. We chose a selection of eight different items ranging in price from $4.25 to $7.75 featuring, among other ingredients, spicy crab, scallops, shrimp, mackerel, salmon and tuna. It was a feast for the eyes and our taste buds. Great care had obviously been taken in the preparation of each piece and the freshness of all the ingredients was apparent in every bite.
We had a hard time finishing all the food, but we gladly persisted. There was no room for dessert and we ended our meal with two espressos allonge.($3.00)
From the sights sounds around us it was obvious that there were many returning diners in the restaurant, a good sign for any restaurant these days. With food as delicious as this and offered at such reasonable prices we will definitely be joining their ranks. How often can you dine out for two and enjoy delicious food and great service and come away with a check of only $72 including taxes. They also have a large private room available for groups and parties
The only drawback is the parking, Park Ave is a horrendous place to park, especially on weekends. You may have to circle the block a few times, but don’t give up Yuukai is worth every second and every penny!
Yuukai Sushi & Japanese Fusion
5658 avenue du parc (corner St Viateur)
Reservations: 514 278-4572
Accepts: All credit cards and Interac
